Relevance of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Sustaining Agriculture Under Smallholder Farming in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

AbstractThe majority of rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) rely on smallholder agriculture to wade off hunger, food insecurity and undernourishment. Sustainable agriculture focusses on producing crops and livestock on a long-term basis while having minimal effects on the environment. This chapter argues that African Indigenous Knowledge systems (AIKS) affords the knowledge, practices, innovation and technologies that can contribute to the sustainability of agriculture. It is generally acknowledged that all indigenous knowledges have an inherent organic sustainability norms as they have sustained communities over many years. This chapter highlights some features of AIKS which gives it salient relevance to sustainable agriculture. It examines cases and experiences from AIKS to elucidate that components of sustainability in food production such as resilience, genetic diversity and yield stability are present in the traditional agricultural systems. Examples of indigenous ways of knowing and practices in areas such as land use planning, soil water conservation and fertility management, crop and livestock husbandry, pest, weed and disease control are used to draw guidance on principles and indicators of agricultural sustainability. The chapter concludes by providing pointers by which AIKS can be tapped to accelerate sustainable agricultural production and agribusiness among poor households in SSA.KeywordsAfrican indigenous knowledge systemsSmallholder farmersSub-Saharan AfricaSustainable agriculture